Humidor



Feb. 27, 1962 J. SOSA 3,023,064

HUMIDOR Filed June 9, 1959 INVENTOR. Jo sep?? ,S/osa,

ATTCI RN EYE United States Patent O sananet HUIVHDR Joseph Sosa, 52S N. Rampart St., New Grleans, La. Filed .lune 9, 1959, Ser. No. 819,154 2 Claims. (Cl. 312--31) This invention relates to a humidor, and more particularly to a humidor for holding articles such as cigarettes, cigars, .tobacco or the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a humidor which is adapted to conveniently hold articles such as tobacco, cigarettes, cigars, or the like therein, and wherein a manually operable means is provided for controlling or regulating the amount of moisture which enters the case that holds the articles such as the tobacco products.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a humidor which includes a manually operable member that can be shifted to several different positions so that the amount of moist air being used in the case which holds the tobacco or other products can be conveniently controlled or regulated as desired.

yA further object of the invention is to provide a humidor which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the humidor of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View taken through the humidor.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view taken through the humidor.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view showing the cover in opened position.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5 5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating certain structural details of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 10 indicates the humidor of the present invention which is shown to comprise a hollow housing which is indicated generally by the numeral 11, and the housing 11 is adapted to be made of a suitable transparent material such as transparent plastic material. Legs or feet 12 are provided for supporting the housing 11, FIGURES 1, 2, and 3. The housing 11 further includes a vertically disposed back wall 14 and a vertically disposed front wall 15 as well as spaced parallel vertically disposed end walls 13. The numeral 16 indicates a cover which is hingedly connected to the back wall 14 as at 17. The housing 11 further includes a horizontally disposed bottom wall 18.

Positioned in the bottom of the housing 11 is a pad 19 which is adapted to hold a quantity of water, and mounted in the lower portion of the housing is a plurality of spaced apart blocks 2t) which serve to support a horizontally disposed grid 21, FIGURE 2. The grid 21 is provided with a plurality of spaced parallel slots 22. Positioned above the grid 21 is a horizontally disposed adjustable plate 23, the plate 23 is provided with a plurality of spaced parallel slots 24, and the slots 24 are mounted for movement into and out of registry or alignment with the slots 22 in the grid 21.

A manually operable means is provided for adjusting or moving the plate 23 so that the amount of moisture from the pad 19 which enters the vertical holding case 28, can be controlled or regulated as desired. The manually operable means comprises a lever or tab 25 which extends through an opening or cutout 26 in the front wall of the housing, FIGURE 6. A portion of the front Wall 15 is cutaway at an incline 27 so as to provide sufcient clearance for the lever 25 as for example when the lever is being tilted. The numeral 29 indicates indicia which is arranged on the outer surface of the front wall 15 wherein such indicia may consist of the words On, or Oli or M These words or indicia can be used to provide a means vfor positioning the manually movable lever 25.

The support in the housing 11 above the plate 23 is a hollow article holding case 28 which includes a horizontally disposed bottom mem-ber 30 which is provided with a plurality of spaced apart apertures or perforations 31 so that the moist air can pass upwardly into contact with the articles such as tobacco articles being supported in the case 28. The case 28 further includes spaced parallel vertically disposed end members 32 as well as spaced parallel vertically disposed side members 33, and the top of the case 28 is open.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a humidor which is especially suitable for use in storing or holding articles such as tobacco articles which are to lbe kept in a humid condition. According to the present invention the tobacco articles such as the cigars, cigarettes, or the like are adapted to be arranged in the case 28. The pad 19 is suitably saturated or covered with water, and when the plate 23 is in position as for example as shown in FIGURE 2, the moist air from the pad 19 can pass up through the openings 22? in the grid 21, and this moistair can pass up through the slots 24 in the plate 23 and the moist air can then pass through the apertures 31 and enter the interior of the case 218, so as to maintain the tobacco articles under the proper moist condition.

When it is desired to change the amount of moist air entering the case 28, it is only necessary to manually move the lever 25 so that for example by moving the lever 25 to the right all the way as shown in FIGURE 1 so that the lever 25 is contiguous to the word 0th the slots 24 will be out of registry with the slots 22 so that no moisture can pass upwardly through the perforations 31. Or, if desired, the lever 25 can be arranged in an intermediate position so that a desired amount of moist air can be permitted to enter the case 28, or the lever 25 can be moved all the way to the left so that it is contiguous to the word On whereby the maximum amount of moisture can enter the case 28.

The lid or cup 16 can be readily opened when access is to be gained to the interior of the housing or case 28.

It is to be noted that the plate 23 is of slightly less length that the grid 21, as for example as shown in FIG- URE 5 and this arrangement provides sufficient clearance for the plate as it is shifted back and forth by means of the lever 25.

The parts can be made of any suitable material and in different shapes or sizes.

The humidor is attractively constructed. The device may be made of a transparent hard plastic material and suitable coloring or shading may be used wherever desired. The blocks 2) serve several purposes, namely they serve to hold the pad 19 thereunder and to keep the pad from moving or shaking, and they also define a level line to place the water in and they also serve to support the structure thereabove. The housing 11 is of generally a watertight construction except for the provision of the side door opening 26. The pad 19 may be made of cotton or like material, to hold water. The grid and plate peripheral portion of each of these members is solid to are each provided with a plurality of slots but the outer provide the necessary strength. Members 34 on the case 28 provide iinger grips for use when lifting the case 28 out of the housing. The parts are made of a material which is not affected by corrosion and no screws, springs, wheels,

gears, pulleys, bolts, nuts, washers, bushings and the like and a minimum number of parts make up the device. The only moving member is the plate and control plate and control lever. The device can be readily disassembled. For example to disassemble the device the cover 16 is swung open on the hinges 17 and then the tobacco cradle or case 23 is lifted out. Thus, by pressing down on the lever 25 as for example as shown in FIGURE 6, the parts are moved from the solid line shown in FIGURE 6 to the dotted line shown in FIGURE 6, and the inclined cutout portion 27 provides suicient clearance for this movement of the plate 23. Thus, the downward movement of the lever 25 by means of suitable pressure thereon can be used for tilting the plate so that the plate can be conveniently gripped and lifted out of the housing. Then, the grid can be lifted out and if desired the pad 19 can also be removed as for example when the parts are to be cleaned or replaced. Similarly, the parts can be reassembled. The use of such a humidor will insure that the tobacco articles or other articles will be kept in a more efficient manner and for example the tobacco articles will provide a cooler and cleaner smoke. The cover 16 is closed as soon as a cigarette or cigar is removed from the humidor.

In actual use, `the moist air will pass up through the perorations 31 and any dust on the tobacco will go down through the same perforations 31. The device includes the control lever 25 on the front thereof together with the pointer or gauge so as to control the ilow of moist air. Thus, if the air is too damp, the :dow of moist air can be temporarily closed off. The water level is preferably kept below the level of the blocks 20.

Since the housing is of transparent material, the user or other person can readily observe the contents thereof. The perforations 31 not only permit the moist air to pass upwardly therethrough, but also permits loose tobacco dust to sift therethrough so as to make a cooler and cleaner smoke.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming within the iield of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

I claim:

1. In a humidor, a hollow transparent housing including spaced parallel vertically disposed end walls, vertically disposed spaced parallel front and back walls, a cover hingedly connected to said back wall, said housing further including a horizontally disposed bottom wall, a moisture holding pad supported on said bottom Wall, a plurality of spaced apart blocks arranged above said pad, a horizontally disposed grid supported on said blocks and said grid being provided with a plurality of spaced parallel slots, a shiftable plate supported on said grid and said plate being provided with a plurality of slots that are mounted for movement into and out of registry with the slots in said grid, and an article holding case positioned in said housing above said plate, sad case including a horizontally disposed bottom member which is provided with a plurality of spaced apart apertures, said case further including spaced parallel vertically disposed end members and spaced parallel vertically disposed front and back members, manually operable means for moving said plate, said last named means comprising a lever projecting forwardly from said plate, there being an opening in the front wall of said housing for the projection therethrough of said lever, and indicia on said front wall adjacent said opening.

2. A humidor comprising a hollow transparent housing embodying spaced parallel vertically disposed end walls, vertically disposed spaced parallel front and back walls, a cover hingedly connected to said back wall, said housing further embodying a horizontally disposed bottom wall, a moisture holding pad supported on said bottom wall, a plurality of spaced apart blocks positioned above said pad, said blocks serving to hold the pad thereunder and also to keep the pad from moving or shaking, and said blocks also defining a level line to place the Water in and said blocks also serving to support the structure thereabove, a horizontally disposed grid supported on said blocks and said grid having a plurality of spaced parallel slots, a horizontally disposed shiftable plate supported on said grid and said plate having a plurality of slots which are mounted for movement into and out of registry with the slots in said grid, said plate being slightly less in length than said grid, the outer peripheral portion of the grid and plate being solid so as to provide the necessary strength to these members, an article holding case positioned in said housing above said plate, said case embodying a horizontally disposed bottom member having a plurality of spaced apart apertures therein, said case also including spaced parallel vertically disposed end members and spaced parallel vertically disposed front and back members, the top of said case being open, manually operable means for moving said plate, said last named means comprising a lever extending forwardly from said plate, there being an opening in the front wall of the housing for the projection therethrough of said lever, and indicia on said front wall adjacent said opening, the apertures in the bottom member of said case not only permitting the moist air to pass upwardly therethrough, but also permitting loose tobacco dust to sift therehrough so as to make a cooler and cleaner smoke.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 397,531 Arnold Feb. 12, 1889 520,141 Garfield May 22, 1894 783,541 Raisler Feb. 28, 1905 900,222 Smith Oct. 6, 1908 906,899 Kronk i Dec. 15, 1908 1,318,939 Willert Oct. 14, 1919 1,609,766 Osaka Dec. 7, 1926 

